Honey Bees 101 (Intro Biology and Behavior) Kip Miller – Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development millerk15@michigan.gov

**Disclaimer** If you ask 10 beekeepers the same question you will get 11 different answers!!!!

Honey Bees & Apiculture Biology Pests & Diseases Why should we care? Parts of the hive

Why Should We Care? Currently there are approximately 2.6 million colonies in the U.S. (75-150 thousand in MI) Down from a high of 5.9 million colonies in 1947.

Why Should We Care? U.S. estimated pollination value is $15 billion per year. Michigan estimated pollination value is $1 billion per year.

Why should We Care? 1/3 of the food we eat is the result of pollination. 70-80% of plants worldwide require pollination (mostly by insects). In Michigan, 60 plus crops require insect pollination. Cherries, apples, blueberries, cranberries, cucumbers, squash, melons, brambles, strawberries, tomatoes.

Why Should We Care? Almonds, Almonds, Almonds!!!!!! The U.S. produces 75-80% of the world supply. All U.S. production from California (Sacramento & San Joaquin Valleys) Valued at approximately $4-5 billion annually.

Honey Bee Biology (Apis mellifera) Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – Arthropoda (Insects, Arachnids, Crustaceans) Class – Insecta (3 body segments, 3 pairs of legs, compound eyes, 1 pair of antennae) Order – Hymenoptera (Wasps, Bees, Ants) Family – Apidae (bumblebees, orchid bees, carpenter bees, stingless bees) Genus – Apis (Latin for “bee”) Species – Mellifera (Latin melli- "honey" and ferre "to bear“)

Honey Bee Biology (Apis mellifera) The Honey Bee is not native to North America. In the early 16th century, the Spanish brought the first honey bee colonies to North America. English colonists did the same and soon honey bees had escaped into the wild and were buzzing all over North America. The honey bees traveled in advance of the European settlers. The Native American tribes referred to them as "white man's flies."

Honey Bee Biology - Castes Workers – Up to 80,000 individuals Drones – up to a few thousand depending on the time of year. Queen - One

Honey Bee Biology - Workers Workers are females that are infertile. Egg – hatches after 3 days Larvae are fed Royal Jelly for three days. Royal Jelly is secreted from the salivary glands of worker bees.

Honey Bee Biology - Workers After 3 days workers are fed “bee bread” Bee Bread is a mixture of Pollen, Nectar and Saliva. Fermented – Increases Nutritional Value and Preserves. 21 days from egg to adult worker.

Honey Bee Biology - Workers

Honey Bee Biology – Workers (duties) Duties change as the Bee Ages. First 2 Days – Cell Cleaning Days 3-10 – Queen Care, Nursing, Wax Work Days 15-20 – Wax Work, Nectar Processing, Guarding, Undertaking Days 21-35 – Foraging (nectar, water, pollen, propolis), Colony Defense Life Span – 6 weeks in Summer, 4-9 months in Winter.

Honey Bee Biology - Workers They Sting!!!!!! Honey Bees Sting as a Defense Mechanism.

Honey Bee Biology - Drones Males From Unfertilized Eggs!!!! 24 days From Egg to Adult. The Drones Purpose is to mate with the Queen. They do not share the hive duties.

Honey Bee Biology - Drones

Honey Bee Biology - Drones Large Eyes Stout Bodies, Strong Flyers Cannot Sting!!!! Are Expelled from the Hive in the Fall.

Honey Bee Biology - Queens One per Hive/Colony. From Fertilized Egg – Fed Exclusively Royal Jelly 16 Days from Egg to Adult. Can Lay up to 2000 Eggs per Day. Can Live up to Five Years.

Honey Bee Biology - Queens Will Leave the Hive to Mate with 10-20 Drones. May Never Leave Again.

Honey Bee Biology - Queens Queens are often “Marked” Makes Finding Queen Easier White – Years Ending 1 or 6 Yellow – Years Ending 2 or 7 Red – Years Ending 3 or 8 Green – Years Ending 4 or 9 Blue – Years Ending 5 or 0

Honey Bee Biology – Vision

Honey Bee Biology - Vision

Honey Bee Biology - Foraging

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language 5-25% of foragers are Scouts. Scouts “Dance” upon returning to the Hive Used to “Recruit” more foragers to the best food sources. Honey Bees exhibit Flower Fidelity (Constancy) Optimization of Resources.

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Round Dance – Nectar/Pollen Sources Up to 100 Yards from Hive Does not indicate direction (???)

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Waggle Dance Waggle Phase Return Phase Gives information on Distance and Direction

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Waggle Dance (Continued)

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Waggle Dance (Continued)

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Waggle Dance (Continued)

Honey Bee Biology – Dance Language Waggle Dance (Continued) But…..What about Distance????? Energy Expenditure? Optic Flow?

Honey Bee Biology - Swarming Swarming is for reproduction!

Honey Bee Biology - Swarming

Honey Bee Biology - Swarming

Honey Bee Biology – Wax & Comb Wax is produced from 8 glands on the underside of the abdomen. Metabolic Cost – 8 pounds of Honey for every 1 pound of Wax.

Honey Bee Biology – Wax & Comb Cells are Hexagonal Cells are sloped “up” 9-14%

Honey Bee Biology – Propolis A resinous mixture bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. Used as a Sealant within the hive.

Honey Bee Biology – Propolis Inhibits fungal and bacterial growth. “Mummify” animals too large to remove from hive.

Honey Bee Biology - Honey Honey Bees add enzymes to nectar to “invert” sucrose to form glucose and fructose. Reduce the water content of nectar from 40-50% to 17-18%

Honey Bee Biology - Honey National Average – 56 pounds/hive (2012) 2,000,000 flowers visited to make 1 pound of honey. 55,000 miles to produce 1 pound of honey. Average worker bee will produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

Pests & Diseases American Foulbrood – Spore Forming Bacteria

Pests & Diseases Wax Worms

Pests & Diseases Skunks

Pests & Diseases Bears

Pests & Diseases Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor)

Pests & Diseases Varroa Mite - Found in U.S. in 1987

Pests & Diseases Most Often Observed on Drone Brood

Pests & Diseases Varroa Mite on Adult

Pests & Diseases

Pests & Diseases Varroa Mites – Carrier of Deformed Wing Virus

Pests & Diseases Varroa Mites also linked to other Viruses Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV Cloudy Wing Virus (CWV) CCD???????

Why should We Care? 1/3 of the food we eat is the result of pollination. 70-80% of plants worldwide require pollination (mostly by insects). In Michigan, 60 plus crops require insect pollination. Cherries, apples, blueberries, cranberries, cucumbers, squash, melons, brambles, strawberries, tomatoes.

Why Should We Care? Currently there are approximately 2.6 million colonies in the U.S. (75-150 thousand in MI) Down from a high of 5.9 million colonies in 1947.

Why Should We Care? U.S. estimated pollination value is $15 billion per year. Michigan estimated pollination value is $1 billion per year.

Why Should We Care? Almonds, Almonds, Almonds!!!!!! The U.S. produces 75-80% of the world supply. All U.S. production from California (Sacramento & San Joaquin Valleys) Valued at approximately $4-5 billion annually.

Parts of the Hive

Parts of the Hive

Parts of the Hive

Other Tools

Resources Michigan Beekeepers Association Beesource.com The Hive and the Honey Bee ABC and XYC of Bee Culture Beekeeping for Dummies American Bee Journal Bee Culture

Thank You!